Alternatives
by Aniron peded
Summary: AU. What might have been, if Riku had been the one to carry Kairi's heart and landed in Traverse Town, while Sora arrived in Hollow Bastion that fateful night.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all associated characters do not belong to me.

Warning: This fic is not only spoilery for the first game (obviously), but will be so for Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II as well. You have until Chapter 7 to finish those games, if you have not already.

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Riku opened his eyes, rubbed them, then climbed to his feet slowly. He was in a dead end alley, that much he could see, but the surrounding buildings blocked anything else. "Sora?" he called, remembering that the brunet had been standing in front of him only moments before. "Kairi?" She'd disappeared the moment he'd touched her, but surely both of his friends had made it off the island as well.

His fists clenched at his sides; he _wasn't_ scared, or panicking. He was...concerned, about them, because they were younger and wouldn't be able to take care of themselves alone as well as he could. Giving a firm nod, Riku stepped out of the alley and entered the nearby accessory shop.

"Hey, how can I...Oh, just a kid," the man behind the counter said.

"Who are you calling kid, old man?" Riku asked, bristling.

"Cool it, hotshot. The name's Cid, what can I do for you?"

Gruff, and blunt, but not unfriendly. Riku could live with that. "I'm looking for my friends." He quickly described Sora and Kairi, feeling his heart sink as Cid shook his head.

"Haven't seen 'em, but you just got here right?" Riku nodded. "Why don't you take a look around the town? They might have simply turned up in a different district."

Relieved, Riku grinned at him. "Thanks, Cid!" he said over his shoulder as he began to leave.

His hand was on the door when Cid called out, "Hey, you don't have a weapon, do you? Any way to defend yourself?"

Turning, Riku held out his empty hands in answer – he didn't even have one of the wooden swords they used on the island. Cid shook his head.

"That won't do, the Heartless'll get you before you take five steps. Take this." He tossed a dark sword to Riku, who easily caught it. "That's the Soul Eater, worth five hundred munny, so don't lose it. You can pay me back for it later."

Riku stared down at the blade, so different from the toys he had used. "I'm really not on my island anymore, am I?" he asked.

"'fraid not, kid," Cid said. When Riku looked up at him, Cid nodded at the door. "Go find your friends, before the Heartless do."

"Right." He gave the man a salute with the sword, pulled the door open, and stepped out into the square.

The door had barely shut behind him when a large yellow dog tackled him, knocking him to the ground and licking his face enthusiastically. "Bad dog," he muttered, pushing it away and out of breath from having the thing practically _sitting_ on his chest.

"Pluto, get off him!" someone squawked, sounding remarkably how Riku had always imagined ducks would sound if they could talk. Thankfully, Pluto was pulled away, allowing Riku to sit up and breathe. A contrite-looking dog was holding Pluto's collar with one hand and offering to help Riku up with the other.

"Gawrsh, are you all right?" he asked.

"Come on, Goofy, we need to find that key!" the duck next to him – it really was a talking duck – snapped.

"But what about-" Goofy began.

"I'm fine," Riku said, standing and brushing himself off. Frowning at the duck, because being angry at Goofy or Pluto would be too much like...kicking puppies..., Riku told him, "You should keep him on a leash, so he doesn't go around attacking people like that."

"You should watch where you're going!" the duck squawked back.

"Hey, he jumped on me, I didn't-"

"What is going on out here?" Cid broke in, hands braced on either side of the open doorway. "You're makin' more noise than a room of schoolchildren," he added.

"He started it," they both said, then glared at each other.

Goofy gave Cid a small wave, releasing Pluto who promptly ran off. "Uh, Donald and I were looking for Leon," he said. "Do ya know where we might find him?"

Cid looked them up and down before answering. "If he's not at the hotel, he'll be in the Third District somewhere. Come to think of it, he might know where your friends are as well," he added to Riku. "Don't know why I didn't think of that before."

"You can come with us!" Goofy said, beaming at him.

"I don't-" Riku began.

"Good, maybe now you three'll quit hanging around in front of my store," Cid said. The door slammed shut behind him.

"I think that was a hint for us to leave," Donald said quietly.

Riku gave a short laugh in spite of himself. "Yeah. Come on, I think the other districts are this way."

The hotel initially turned up nothing but Heartless, and in the Third District they only found a pair of sad-looking Dalmatians. It was on their way back through the Second District that they noticed the door to the alleyway. "Think Leon might be back there?" Goofy asked.

"Let's check it out," Donald said. "Riku, you lead."

"Gee, thanks."

The alley seemed as deserted as the rest of the town. "Sure is spooky with nobody here!" Goofy said.

"Ah, phooey. I'm not scared."

Riku had barely finished rolling his eyes at that when Donald let out a wail of fright and jumped onto Goofy. Whirling around, Riku lifted Soul Eater, prepared to defend himself and his companions against whatever creature had come up behind them.

The brown-haired, green-eyed young woman smiled at them sweetly. "Excuse me, but did the king send you?"

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Heartless and Keyblades and missing reports – it all sounded far too surreal for the normal-appearing hotel room that Aerith led them too. Riku listened with an outward show of impatience, wanting to know only how this would relate to finding Sora and Kairi.

There was a brief knock on the door before it was thrown open and a black-haired girl bounced in. "Yuffie!" Aerith exclaimed. "Did you find him?"

"Nope," Yuffie responded. "I think it's made Squall grumpier than usual, though."

"It's Leon," corrected the man who followed Yuffie in and shut the door behind them. Spotting the trio, he asked, "Are they-?"

"Donald and Goofy are looking for the king, and the key," Aerith answered him. "Riku is looking for his friends."

"The Keyblade isn't here," Leon said. "And we're not a missing persons agency. Your best bet would be to search different worlds if you want to find them."

Riku scoffed. "Some help you are. I don't have a way to get to different worlds."

"Well, you could come with us," Goofy immediately offered.

"Really?" Riku asked, while at the same time Donald exclaimed, "What? No!"

"You could help each other find the people you're searching for!" Yuffie said. "I think it's a good idea."

"I don't," Donald grumbled.

"Our gummi ship's plenty big enough for you to ride with us, Riku," Goofy said. "We'll find your friends, the king, and the Keyblade if we work together."

"That's decided then," Leon said. "Good luck."

"Why don't we take a look around town, make sure we haven't missed anything before we leave," Donald suggested. He shot a look at Riku. "Since we're going to be here anyway."

Stepping out of the hotel brought a nasty surprise to the trio; the Second District was swarming with Heartless. "Don't worry so much about the small fry," Leon said. "The leader has to be around here close. We should split up – the three of you check the Third District, Yuffie and I'll look in on the First."

"Right," Riku said.

They made their way slowly to the other district, cutting down small Shadows and Soldiers as they went. Riku breathed a quiet sigh of relief when the door closed behind them. He preferred a solid door between himself and the Heartless.

"It looks like everything is quiet here," he said, moving down the ramp and out into the center.

"Sure does," Donald replied. Confident as he sounded, Riku was amused to note how close behind him Donald and Goofy were staying. Not that he minded, of course.

The trap sprang when they were fairly close to the fountain. Stone walls rose quickly in the exits to the courtyard, and Soldiers promptly surrounded them. When the trio made short work of them, Riku thought they'd escape unscathed.

The appearance of the Guard Armor disabused him of the notion. Having to watch five parts moving first together, then in different directions, was harder than fighting the smaller Heartless. Eventually the three of them were able to destroy the very last piece, which brought the walls of the trap down.

Leon hurried down the ramp from the Second District, with Yuffie and Aerith close behind him. "That was some Heartless," Yuffie called out. "You guys okay?"

Riku gratefully drained the Potion Aerith handed him, feeling the cuts and bruises heal as he did so. "We're fine now," he said. He frowned at Leon and added, "Funny how we were the ones sent right to it."

"Don't waste your suspicion on me," the scarred man told him. "I'm not your enemy, Riku."

"Let's get going before another one shows up," Donald demanded. Goofy nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"All right, let's head out then," Riku said. He pointedly turned his back to Leon and led the way out of the district.

"Good luck!" Yuffie told them as they left.


	2. Chapter 2

Sora woke up slowly, rubbing his eyes and pushing the blanket off of him. "What a dream," he mumbled.

"I am afraid, my dear, that it was not a dream." The speaker was a woman unlike any Sora had seen before, all pale skin and flowing black robes. Her hair was pulled up into two large spikes. At least, he thought it was her hair.

"Who are you?" he asked. Taking a look around – this wasn't his room! - prompted him to also ask, "And where am I?"

She smiled. "This is Hollow Bastion, dear child. I am its ruler, Maleficent."

"Am I in another world? But what about my home? My island? Riku? Kairi? Are they here?" The questions tumbled out faster and faster.

Maleficent held up a hand to silence him. "When I found you at the Rising Falls, you were alone. My associates have found nobody else here. I cannot say what has happened to your island."

Crashing disappointment. "Oh," Sora said, shoulders slumping as he looked down at his lap.

She brushed a gentle hand against his cheek. "Cheer up, child. I'll help you find your friends."

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"The boy carries the Keyblade," Jafar said. "That makes him a threat to the Heartless."

"Perhaps." Maleficent watched the image of Sora examining the room they had placed him in. "But all he desires is to find his friends. He could be of some use to us yet."

"And if he's not, we can just turn him into a Heartless!" Ursula chimed in.

"Indeed." Maleficent nodded at her. "Now, what of the girl we found?"

"She doesn't have a heart, but there's no Heartless from it." Hades crossed his arms. "There's no way she's not one of these Princesses of yours."

"But without a heart, the girl is useless to our plans." Jafar frowned as he idly stroked his staff's cobra head.

"She is dear to the Keyblade master," Maleficent pointed out. "He will do anything to help her. As long as we can dangle her welfare in front of him..."

"The king's lackeys and that other brat did in that Heartless we sent. What do you say we do about that?" Hook asked.

Maleficent smiled. "We'll take care of them, of course."

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Other worlds, Riku decided, were totally bizarre. Whoever had named the Bizarre Room, at least, seemed to have been aware of that fact. On the other hand... "Sora would get a kick out of this place. Kairi, too," he said.

The Red Nocturnes were more than a little annoying. Donald didn't help, either; every so often he'd remember that he was supposed to be teaching Riku magic and would squawk at Riku to use it. He missed them nearly as often as he hit them, small size and quick movements making them hard to aim at. By the time they wiped all of them out in the Bizarre Room, Riku was ready to use Donald as target practice. _Just relax_, he told himself. _You only have to put up with them until you find Sora and Kairi._

They came upon the farce of a trial in time to hear the queen declare, "The girl is the culprit. There's no doubt about it. And the reason is...because I say so, that's why!"

"That is so unfair!" the young girl protested.

Riku dug the tip of his sword into the ground and leaned slightly against the hilt, listening with interest. She had guts, he had to giver her that, especially when she flatly called her accuser mean. A bit like Kairi, come to think of it.

"The court finds the defendant...guilty as charged! For the crimes of assault and attempted theft of my heart. Off with her head!"

"Oh, what a load of rubbish," Riku loudly interrupted her.

"Riku!" Donald squawked. "We're not supposed to be meddling!"

"Yeah, that's against the rules," Goofy added.

"Whatever." Riku waved his hand. Addressing the queen, he said, "There's no way she could have tried to take your heart. You've arrested the wrong person! It's the Heartless that steal hearts, not normal people."

"Nonsense. Have you any proof?"

Riku rolled his eyes and ignored Donald's shushing. "I'm not about to go catch a Heartless for you, if that's what you're wanting."

"Are ya sure you know what you're doing?" Goofy asked him.

"Does it matter?" Riku muttered back. "Are the two of you going to just sit back and let someone get punished for something the Heartless did? And I thought you were the good guys."

The queen drowned out any reply they might have given him. "If you refuse to give me any proof, you must be her accomplices! Guards, confine the girl for later. Now, off with their heads!"

Alice was tossed into a small cage next to the queen and hidden by a curtain. Riku lifted his sword and moved into the fray without worry; compared to the Heartless, how hard could a deck of cards be? At first, he was right. The guards were easily knocked down, either by the blunt of his sword or fireballs. Goofy's shield and Donald's staff also easily swept them off their feet.

That was before Goofy noticed, and informed his companions, "They aren't stayin' down for very long!"

And Riku's arm was starting to ache from all of the fighting, both here and in the Bizarre Room.

Donald topped it off by falling into Riku, knocking him off balance. He reached out for something, anything, to try to keep himself upright, his hand instinctively closing on the first thing it touched. The yellow curtain over the girl's cage ripped from its hooks, draping over Riku as he landed on the ground.

"STOP!" the queen roared.

"She's gone," Donald said. "She must have been kidnapped while we were fighting."

"You fools, find out where Alice went, now!" the queen snapped. "Search the Lotus Forest if you must."

Riku turned to Donald and Goofy. "Should we help, you think? We're still looking for the others."

"I don't see why not," Goofy replied. "We've already begun muddlin', more can't hurt."

"Meddling!" the duck corrected.

"An' the king or your friends might be in that there forest, too," Goofy continued.

"Yeah," Riku said. "Maybe."

The had taken only a few steps into the Lotus Forest when they were confronted by a strange, purple-stripped cat. It had the most unnerving habit of vanishing and reappearing.

"Have you seen Alice?" Donald asked it.

"Alice, no," it – he – replied. "Shadows, oh yes!"

"Where'd they go?" Goofy asked.

"This way? That way? Does it matter? Left, right, up, down! All mixed up thanks to the shadows!" He grinned at them and rolled over to balance on his head. "Step deeper into the forest to the deserted garden. You might find shadows in the upside-down room!" With that, he disappeared and didn't return.

"This world is _insane_," Riku said.

"If we find where those shadows went, maybe we can find Alice," Donald suggested. "Let's keep going."

The Heartless they found in the forest were slightly more dangerous than the ones in Traverse Town. Not that it helped them very much, since Riku and his companions cut them down anyway, once their weaknesses were discovered. They found the garden, with its abandoned tea party, just like the cat told them. Through the doorway was what Riku thought was yet another odd room in Wonderland. His eyes followed the flower-shaped lamps emerging from the floor up to glance at the ceiling.

No, not the ceiling. The _floor_. The three of them were walking on the ceiling of the Bizarre room.

"This is-" Riku started to say, then stopped himself. It wouldn't do to seem childish around Donald or Goofy. "I mean, do all worlds not make sense like this? I don't think Sora or Kairi could handle something like this."

"I don't think so," Donald said. He was giving the furniture over their heads a suspicious look, as if he expected it to come crashing down on them at any moment. Glancing over at Riku, he said, "Our world's a bit silly, but everything stays where it should be there."

"Like Daisy?" Goofy asked with a grin.

Before Riku could ask who Daisy was, the weird cat appeared once more, this time on the rim of the closest lamp.

"I don't see any shadows, cat," Riku called up to him.

"They're hiding somewhere. And the momeranths outgrabe." His body vanished, leaving only the head to grin wildly at them. "If you're so eager to find the shadows, try turning on the light."

Shaking his head, Riku looked up at where the cat had once more disappeared, then over at Goofy. "Could you give me a lift up there?"

Goofy obligingly cupped his hands for Riku to put a foot in, giving him the boost he needed to reach the ledge around the lamp. Casting about for a switch or something for the lamp, Riku accidentally knocked the Soul Eater against the glass. The light flared to life suddenly, making Riku start slightly. He hadn't expected it to be that easily done.

The cat appeared once more, balanced on the very top of the second lamp. "It's too dim. The brighter the light, the clearer the shadows," he said to Riku.

Riku eyed the distance between the two lamps. Not terribly far, he'd done further leaps back on the island. He jumped, outstretched palms catching him on the glass, which lit up at the touch. Riku smirked briefly at his distorted reflection, then turned to the cat who was now standing beside him. "What next?" he asked.

"You'll find the shadows you seek, now that the lights are all on. They'll arise in this room, but somewhere else."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Donald called out, echoing Riku's thoughts.

"Who knows? But the shadows might be after that doorknob as well as sweet Alice." With a truly disturbing chuckle, the creature left once more.

Riku hopped off the lamp to rejoin Donald and Goofy. "Any idea what that means?" he asked, crossing his arms. Why couldn't the cat just speak normally?

"Maybe he meant we should be in the Bizarre Room when it's not all topsy-turvy," Goofy suggested.

"He did say they'd go after the doorknob," Donald said. "It sounds like a good idea."

"It can't hurt to try," Riku said. "Let's go find these shadows.

They made their way back through the forest and past the queen, who was still furiously ordering her guards around. The Bizarre Room was quiet, seemingly deserted even by the Heartless.

"Well, that was a waste of time," Riku said, beginning to stalk towards the exit.

Donald's yell was his only warning. Riku hit the ground and rolled, the fireball a wash of heat brushing by him. The other two also dived out of the way, and were already picking themselves up and preparing to fight. He followed suit, snatching up his weapon and turning to face their enemy.

Later, on their way back to Traverse Town, he turned the strange gummi piece over and over in his hands while staring out into space. It had been wedged in the doorknob, jarred loose when the Trickmaster sent Riku thudding into the door. One more piece in the puzzle of where his friends and gone.


	3. Chapter 3

"Boy, that kid's really something," Hades said. "You really think our little pipsqueak can take him and the other two?"

"Defeating Cerebus is no measure of his strength. As Hercules said, the dog was already tired." She didn't move from her place on the balcony, watching Sora spar against Heartless in the entrance hall. There was already a marked improvement in his fighting skills, she noted with satisfaction. "Besides, the Keyblade will make up for any lack of ability in its master. With the proper training, Sora will have no problem against Riku."

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The Keyblade cut through the Large Body, eliminating the last Heartless in the room. Sora shouldered his weapon, then looked up to see Maleficent and Hades watching him. He waved, still not sure what to think about the people here, though they were friendly enough to him. They were even helping Maleficent to look for Kairi and Riku, while she stayed in Hollow Bastion and taught him about the worlds.

Maleficent swept gracefully down the stairs, smiling at him. "You're doing well, Sora," she said. "I'm very pleased with your progress."

"Thanks," he said. Twirling the Keyblade absently in his hand, he asked, "Have you heard anything yet?"

Her smile faded, and she looked sadly down at him. "I bear both good and bad news. Your friend Riku has been located-"

Sora's heart jumped. "Really? Where is he? Can you take me to him?"

"Patience, child. I have not finished." She waited a moment, as if to see whether Sora could control himself before she continued. His grip on the key tightened, but he kept quiet – she'd done this before, testing him, and he wasn't going to fail this time. Satisfied that he would remain silent, Maleficent said, "Unfortunately, he has not fallen in with the best of people. His companions are trying to convince him to give up the search for you and Kairi, in favor of traveling with them on their ship. Riku has been under their influence since you last saw him. I am afraid he is starting to give up."

"No, he wouldn't do that." Sora shook his head, wanting to deny Maleficent's words. "He's my best friend. Riku'd never stop looking for me," he said, voice going quiet.

"I'm sure you know him best," Maleficent said. "Perhaps I was mistaken." She didn't sound convinced, but Sora did his best to dismiss her doubtfulness.

"I want to go see him," he told her firmly.

"Very well. I will take you to Traverse Town, where he and his new friends have taken up residence."

"Now?"

"Tomorrow. You need your rest after practicing all day." She glided out of the room, leaving him behind.

Sora sighed, letting the Keyblade vanish and running his hands through his spiky hair.

"Cheer up, kiddo," Hades said. Sora started, having forgotten about him. The god was still on the balcony where Sora had last seen him. Seeing that he had his attention, Hades grinned. "You get to see your buddy again, you should look happy. We put a lot of effort into locating him for you."

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"Do you think Cid's done with the ship yet?" Riku asked as they stepped back into the Third District. "I want to get back out there."

"Maybe," Donald said. "Let's go see!"

They hadn't taken more than a few steps before a pair of Soldiers appeared in front of them. Riku's sword was immediately out and ready, but he stopped himself from attacking as someone else cut them down from behind. Someone with familiar messy brown spikes.

"Hi, Riku," Sora said, grinning. He idly swung an oversize key in his hands. "Where are you all going?"

"Sora!" Riku firmly squashed the urge to pat the younger boy down to make sure he was real. _Collected older friend. Right._ "How did you get here? _When_ did you get here?"

"The people I've been staying with brought me here. They've been helping me look for you an- Is Kairi with you?" The rapid switch from typical happiness to completely concerned was pure Sora, right down to the big blue eyes.

Riku shook his head. "She's not with you?" One look at his slumped shoulders answered that. "I'm sure she got off the island, too. She's probably looking for us right now." Hoping to distract him from worrying too much, he tapped the Soul Eater against the odd weapon in Sora's hand. "Where did you get this?"

"Gosh, that's the Keyblade, isn't it?" Goofy asked. "The one the king told us to find."

"Yeah, it- Hey!" Sora made an undignified squawk as Riku easily slipped the handle out of his hand.

He spun the Keyblade and slashed the air, grinning at Sora. "Been having fun without me, then?" he asked, tossing the weapon back.

"I was looking for you." Sora's tone was defensive. "It took forever. And what do you want with my Keyblade?" he asked Donald and Goofy.

"King Mickey told us to find it," Goofy said. "Aerith and Leon say it'll keep worlds from vanishin'."

"You could come with us," Donald offered. "We're still looking for the king. He might know where Kairi is."

Sora looked down, a torn expression on his face. Wondering what was making him hesitate, Riku added, "It's everything we dreamed about, Sora. Adventure, new worlds, new places to see and people to meet. Once we find Kairi, it'll be perfect."

The younger teen looked up at the last sentence, studying Riku intently. "You really think that?" he asked.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"You weren't just going to forget us and-"

"Forget you?" Riku cut him off. "Where'd you get a crazy idea like that? I've been all over this world and three others looking for you and Kairi. We're getting the gummi ship fixed so we can search more. I don't know how you could think I would ever quit until I found you."

He blinked at Riku for a few seconds, before presenting his patented Sora smile. "I knew Maleficent was wrong about you!"

Riku shot a questioning look at him, but dropped it when spotted the Shadow sneaking up behind him. Sora followed his gaze, then before Riku could react he spun around, Keyblade out and cutting down the Heartless before it could attack.

They all stood in silence for a moment, before Goofy said, "Um, maybe we should go see Cid and talk inside before more Heartless come after us."

"Yeah," Donald agreed.

Riku led them to the small house, where lights had just flickered on. Inside, he introduced Sora to everyone, pleased that they accepted the newest addition without a qualm. At least, they didn't voice any, though Leon's brows shot up when Sora casually told them where he'd been.

"You were hangin' out with Maleficent?" Cid exclaimed.

"Who is she?" Riku asked.

"She's a witch, kiddo, and bad news."

"We lost our world, thanks to her." Leon crossed his arms and frowned. "It was about nine years ago."

"How?" Donald asked.

"Maleficent controls the Heartless," Aerith said. "She used them to overrun Hollow Bastion."

"I'm pretty sure we were the only ones who got out. Haven't seen anyone else, at least," Cid told them. He looked over at Sora with a critical eye. "Smart of you to come with these three, instead of her."

Sora had gone from shocked to upset, and he was now glaring at the door, as if he was seeing somebody there that he was angry at. Riku, guessing where his thoughts were, didn't entirely blame him. He hated to think what might have happened if she had managed to truly drive a wedge between them, as she obviously tried. Turing back to the others, Riku asked, "So, how can we stop the Heartless, and Maleficent?"

"We don't know," Leon said. "The report by Ansem, our ruler, probably tells how. The problem is, it's pages were scattered."

"I'm sure Maleficent's got most of them," Cid muttered.

"So, we need to find this report," Donald said. "We found Sora and the key, but we still need to find the king, and your other friend."

"You up to a little adventure, Sora?" Riku asked. He flashed a grin at his friend, who returned the look.

"I'm the Keyblade master. I think I can handle this." Sora raised his weapon in demonstration.

"Oh, brother," Donald grumbled.

"You should probably start by locking the worlds you've already been to," Leon broke in. "Then use the new controls Cid put in to visit new worlds."

"The ship's ready to go when you are," Cid told them.

"Right." Riku nodded at him. Turning back to Sora, he smirked and said, "Just wait until you see Wonderland."

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The four of them were in his nephew's shop, stocking up on items, when the tolling of the bell rung out once more. "What's that?" Sora asked. Riku simply shrugged at him.

"It's the bell over the Gizmo Shop," Dewey said. "There's a legend that something big happens if you ring it three times."

"Why don't you go try it out, Uncle?" Louie asked.

"Yeah, you can tell us if there's any truth in it," Huey added.

Donald pretended to think it over, though he could tell by the gleam in Riku's eyes, mirrored in Sora's, that he wouldn't have much say in the matter. "Well, I suppose we _might_ go look into it," he said, winking at Goofy. The dog chuckled.

"If we do, does that mean we'll get a discount on some of this stuff?" Goofy asked.

"Nope!" the triplets chorused. "But nice try," Louie said.

The Gizmo Shop was easly to get to, with nothing but weaker varieties of Heartless trying to attack them. Trying was the key word; the original three were well used to each other's movements as well as that of the Heartless, and Sora quickly proved as adept at fighting as any of them. They quickly found themselves on the second level of the Gizmo Shop, the boys eagerly hacking away at the wooden boards blocking the bell.

_Clang. Clang. Clang._ Sora held onto the rope as they all waited silently for something to happen.

Hissing caught Donald's attention. He looked out, then squawked in surprise when he saw the jets of water sprouting in front of the mural by the alley entrance. It was less the sudden water and more that the mural was _changing_.

The display was over in a moment, though the four stood there for longer, watching to make sure nothing else happened. "Was that it?"Riku eventually asked.

"Maybe we should go down there and check it out," Goofy suggested.

Sora and Riku exchanged glances, then were off, playfully fighting their way down the ladder. Donald heaved a sigh and looked up at Goofy. "What's it going to be like when we find Kairi and there's three of them?" he asked.

The Armor Guard that hurtled itself between them and the mural provoked a very different reaction than the first one had. "Is this supposed to scare us?" Riku asked incredulously. Donald could _hear_ the teen rolling his eyes.

At first, the battle went as normal, Goofy and Riku swiftly adapting to having a third physical fighter and Donald staying further back to use offensive spells. The Keyblade appeared to do heavier damage than the other weapons against the Heartless; Donald filed that observation away for later as the Armor Guard backed away and began shifting around.

The four launched themselves back into battle against the Opposite Armor. Donald kept a closer eye on his companions this time, saving most of his magic to heal them. Sora's expression the first time he did this was priceless; apparently the boy had never been cured magically before. One by one, the Heartless's limbs were destroyed, and finally the torso was finished off. Once the freed heart floated away, a large keyhole shimmered into view on the mural. Sora's Keyblade snapped up, and a beam of light shot out of it. There was the sound of a lock being turned, before light and keyhole both faded.

Sora studied his key critically, then shrugged at the rest of them.

"Well," Donald said. "Now we know why it's a _Key_blade."


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh, _yuck_," Sora said, climbing to his feet. He glanced around, doing a double-take at the huge teeth that made up one 'wall'. "Did that whale swallow us?"

"Looks like it," Riku answered him. "Everyone alright?"

"Where'd Pinocchio go?" Jiminy asked, jumping up and down on Riku's shoulder. "I can't see him anywhere!"

"Maybe he went to that boat over there," Goofy said, pointing at the wrecked ship.

"Let's go, then," Riku said, leading the way. "We didn't bring him with us just to lose him first time we land."

They reached the deck of the ship in time to hear Pinocchio say, "They can help us get out of here, Father!"

"Can they really?"

"That was kinda the idea," Sora said, giving Donald a hand up. "I'm Sora, and this is Riku, Donald, and Goofy."

"My name is Geppetto, and you seem to know my son Pinocchio. I'm very glad to know he's safe." Geppetto glanced around, then searched the surrounding area anxiously. "Oh, where's he gone now?"

Riku pointed at the back of the mouth. "He just vanished into that cave back there." He gave Sora a sideways glance. "He seems to run off more than you do, Sora."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on, let's go get Pinocchio before he gets into trouble back there!" Donald began herding the two teens off the boat.

Sora waved at Geppetto. "We'll be back in a bit with Pinocchio!"

They stepped inside the chamber, and Sora quickly spotted Pinocchio hesitating at the entrance to another chamber in the back. "Pinocchio, come here," Sora said. "You shouldn't run away like that."

"Yeah, what if there's Heartless around?" Goofy asked.

"It's touching how concerned you are about a simple puppet." Maleficent appeared in a wash of green flame in front of Pinocchio and shook her head sadly at Sora. "If only you were that worried about Kairi."

"What do you know about her?" Riku demanded.

"Why, my companions and I have spent a great deal of time and resources attempting to locate you and Kairi for Sora. At the very least, he owes us a great debt for doing so."

"You've found Kairi?" Sora asked. He started to rush forward, only to find Riku's muscular arm blocking his path. "What are you doing?" he hissed.

"I don't trust her," the older boy responded.

"I wonder why," Donald muttered.

The smile Maleficent gave them was icy. "I told you I would help you, Sora. You left without even telling us thank you. Now, I require your help. After all, it's only fair that you repay me for all of the kindness I showed you." She held out a hand and waited.

Sora felt a heavy weight sink into his stomach. "She's right," he said. "I have to go with her." He pushed Riku's arm away and stepped around him.

Riku swung him around. "Are you insane? Were you even listening to what Leon and the others were telling us about her?"

Meeting Riku's glare levelly, he said, "I have to do this, Riku. And you need to stay with Donald and Goofy. Here, take this." He shoved the Keyblade into Riku's hand and took Soul Eater out of his unresisting grasp. "I'll be back for it, I promise."

"Sora..." Riku looked to the side for a moment, gathering his thoughts, then back at the brunet. "You'd better come back," he said.

Sora nodded once, then turned away and walked over to Maleficent. "Let's get this over with, then," he said.

"Are you sure it's wise to leave the Keyblade behind?" she asked.

"Shut up, you-" Riku called Maleficent several words that, back home would have gotten his mouth washed out, but here only made Sora grin.

Maleficent looked unimpressed. "Let us be off, then," she said.

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It was a much more subdued group that left the cave-like area. Pinocchio ran ahead, reaching his father and telling him about the strange woman they had seen. Riku interrupted the boy to tell Geppetto to pack his things and take them to the gummi ship, then backed off to lean against the railing by himself.

"Riku," Donald said. "Everything's ready to go."

"Alright." He pushed away from the railing and turned, nearly tripping over the duck. "What?"

Donald shook his head at him. "Nothing. Come on."

Riku made sure everyone was strapped in before he dropped into the pilot's chair and lifted the gummi ship from its resting place. He rotated the ship, then took careful aim and fired at the roof of Monstro's mouth. It probably wasn't enough to seriously hurt the whale, but-

Monstro roared, blowing them out of its mouth. Riku quickly spun the ship around and shot off into space, leaving the enraged creature behind.

Their first stop was Traverse Town, where they showed Geppetto and Pinocchio one of the empty houses to stay in. After they were settled, the trio worked their way through the Second and Third Districts, eliminating the Heartless. They finished at the small house in the Third District. "We're back," Goofy announced.

Leon looked vaguely concerned. "Did something happen? That was a short trip."

"We found Pinocchio's father and brought him back here," Donald explained.

"Where's Sora?" Yuffie asked.

Riku crossed his arms and scowled. "He had to go do something."

"And he didn't take the Keyblade with him?"

"No, Leon, he didn't," Riku snapped. "He's got the Soul Eater instead, is that all right with you?"

"Riku, calm down." Aerith rested a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We just want to know what happened."

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The boy was back. He'd been back for some time, but only now had he taken to pacing the lower levels of the castle, asking the echoing corridors what he should do. He was shadowed by the choice the witch had placed before him.

Shadows were easily deepened.

"It's not right, taking people away from their homes." The boy slowed to a standstill and stared down at the dark blade in his hands. "But if I don't, I won't be able to help Kairi..."

"You desire to save your friend."

The boy spun around, sword coming up instinctively. His eyes were narrowed. "Who – You're that guy that was at my island! Are you from here?" The sword dropped, held loosely at his side.

No answer to the obvious. "Perhaps, if you became much stronger, you could accomplish all of your goals."

He tilted his head. "Get stronger? How?"

Glide closer, breathe in the boy's sunshine scent. He was so easy to understand, wants and needs centered around one wish. "If you embrace the darkness, it will bring you great strength. Strength enough to accomplish your goals."

The boy ran a hand through his hair, considering. "I don't know..."

"You desire to save your friend."

At that reminder, all of the fight went out of the boy. "Alright. Tell me how."


	5. Chapter 5

Riku had withdrawn back into the aloof boy he'd been when Donald and Goofy had first met him, now that Sora was gone. At the same time, though, he'd taken to throwing himself into the problems of the people they met, much the way Sora had with Pinocchio's missing father. It was, Donald thought, as if he was trying to make up for the lack of the younger boy's presence.

Discovering Jasmine missing from Agrabah only made him a fiercer fighter in Halloween Town and Atlantica. Oogie Boogie and Ursula never stood a chance.

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He shook his head, trying to clear it from the fall from the gummi ship. The sway of the wooden surface under him didn't help. Riku grabbed at the nearby railing when the ship took a particularly vicious dip. _Why are we always crashing or running into things?_ he wondered as he made his way to the bow, Keyblade in hand to ward off any Heartless.

"So, the Keybearer has come here. I was wondering if you would."

Riku spun around and looked up, instantly spotting the source of the creepy double voice. "Sora?" he asked. "What's happened to you? What did Maleficent _do_?"

Laughter, chilling him to the core. Sora's lighter voice underlaid with a deeper one made a constrast that scraped against Riku's nerves. "That witch merely gave me an opportunity. Nothing has happened to Sora that he did not wish for."

_That's not Sora anymore._ Riku scowled and raised the Keyblade. "Let him go, you bastard."

"You need not worry; the boy is safe enough." He leaned against the railing and smirked down at Riku. "Perhaps you should concern yourself with one whose fate you do not yet know."

Donald and Goofy's faces flashed through Riku's mind, before being replaced by a redheaded girl. "Kairi," he said. "Where is she? What have you done with her?"

A feline tilt of his head, with just the barest hint of a predatory grin. Sora should never smile like that. "Come to Hollow Bastion and find out," he told Riku. "I'll be waiting for you, Keyblade Master." Still smiling, not-Sora backed into the portal that had appeared. It shut, leaving no trace of his friend.

"Dammit!" Riku shouted, slamming the Keyblade into the deck. He let it vanish, leaving behind a sizable hole, and clenched his fists as he struggled to control himself. "First things first," he said. "Find the others and get off this ship. Then we'll find Hollow Bastion, and Kairi and Sora."

He turned, intending to find a door that would lead him below the deck and let him search the ship. A man – a pirate – dressed in red, stood in his way. Waving his hook at Riku, the pirate said, "Leaving is not an option for you, I'm afraid."

"Move," Riku ordered.

"And if I don't?"

Riku lashed out with the Keyblade almost the instant it flashed into his hand.

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"You're sure he said Hollow Bastion?" Cid asked.

"Yeah," Riku said. "Do you think you can put in something that will help us get to it? We found more navigation gummis, if you need them."

Cid looked doubtful. "Kid, that place is going to be crawling with Heartless. It's not safe."

"Heartless or not, I have to find Sora and Kairi."

"I'll see what I can do, but I'm not promising any miracles."

"Thanks."


	6. Chapter 6

Once upon a time, the floating platforms and Rising Falls would have fascinated Riku. Now he hardly gave them a second glance as they jumped higher and higher.

The Beast, however, was a surprise. "Do you live here?" he growled at them.

"No, we're just looking for our friends," Goofy said.

"How'd you get here?" Donald asked.

"Belle. I needed to find her, and ended up at this place." He pressed a paw against his chest. "She is here, I know she is."

"Maybe we can help each other search, then," Riku said. "I'm Riku, and this is Donald and Goofy." He held out his hand.

"You can call me Beast," he told them, gently wrapping his large paw around Riku's hand and shaking it.

The four found nothing but Heartless as they made their way through the castle. Lots of Heartless; Cid hadn't been exaggerating about them. It wasn't until they reached the Chapel that they finally came across somebody who wasn't a Heartless.

"Hello again," Maleficent said. "I suppose you're here for your friends. Not that it will do you much good by this point. The keyhole is almost complete. However..."

"Beast!" called out a woman's voice from beyond the doorway they had come through.

"Belle!" Without pausing to think, Beast turned and pounded out of the Chapel after the figure in the yellow dress, who vanished as soon as he passed through the doorway. The doors slammed shut behind him.

Riku scowled at Maleficent. "What have you done?" he demanded.

"Oh, I'm sure that creature will be fine by himself," she said. "You are a different matter, now that your usefulness is over. Since everyone else appears too incompetent, I suppose I'll have to finish you myself."

"How flattering."

They were on the verge of defeating her when she abruptly opened a portal and vanished into it. Riku didn't hesitate to chase after her, Donald and Goofy on his heels.

Maleficent, leaning on her staff and struggling for breath, was hardly a threat now. What instantly caught Riku's attention was the presence of not-Sora, and the weapon he held.

"A Keyblade?" Donald squawked.

"Yes. One that, unlike yours, unlocks a person's heart. Observe!" He spun and plunged the dark key directly into Maleficent's heart. Not giving her time to recover from the shock, he jumped back and opened a portal, leaving them to face whatever was happening to her.

"She's turned into a dragon," Goofy exclaimed.

"We can handle her!" Donald responded.

Riku said nothing, simply followed his friends into the battle.

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He fought desperately against the other's hold over him, constantly probing for weaknesses. The other only laughed at his effors. "You asked for this," he'd murmur in that strange, doubled voice. "You allowed me in."

_You tricked me!_ he raged back.

That Riku had immediately noticed the other's presence nearly immediately was a relief that drowned out any embarrassment that the situation might have otherwise brought up. He could willingly swallow his pride over being an idiot, if only the older boy could get him out of this mess.

_Riku, Riku, he's got Kairi and she won't wake up. Riku, I'm sorry, I promise I won't do it again, just help me please._

_Riku!_

They were perched on the top of the giant doorway, dark Keyblade resting casually on one knee, when Riku and Donald came running into the open space. Goofy was thrown back by a perfectly timed barrier that the other would have loved to cut Donald off with as well, except that the duck had been too close to Riku.

The silver-haired teen went straight to Kairi's lifeless body. He shook her, calling her name. The other shook their head. "You are wasting your time," he called down. He jumped, slowing their fall with magic so naturally that Sora felt a pang of jealousy. The other smirked, though whether at Sora or at Riku he wasn't sure. "She's lost her heart, and cannot awaken until it is returned to her. The keyhole cannot be completed until she awakens. You have done well to keep it safe."

Riku rose and took a step towards them, a dangerous look in his eyes. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness. Now I call upon you to release the princess's heart!"

The dark Keyblade snapped forward, pointing at the teen. Riku dropped to one knee, clutching his chest as if in pain. Sora thought he might have whispered Kairi's name. Ansem stalked forward, not even breaking stride as he knocked the attacking Donald out of the barrier. He said more about the keyhole and the darkness, then moved to strike with his Keyblade.

Sora screamed silently.

Less than a moment it would have connected, Riku's key was up, blocking it. "You're not taking my friends from me," he growled. A shove threw Ansem back as he climbed to his feet and launched himself at the Seeker.

It was a short fight. Ansem clearly had the greater power and experience, but was hindered by Sora's smaller frame. Riku, he could see, had been out fighting, getting better and stronger, while Ansem had been content to let Maleficent do the dirty work.

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Riku panted, staring at the spot where Ansem had just vanished once more, leaving his dark Keyblade behind. "Sora..."

"Riku, the keyhole," Donald said.

"I know, I need to close it," Riku said, joining them at the back of the room. He raised the Keyblade and pointed it at the keyhole.

Nothing happened.

"Maybe we need to wake Kairi up before we can close it," Goofy said.

"And to do that, we need to free her heart," Riku finished. His gaze landed on Ansem's abandoned key. Without a word, he went and picked it up, reversing it so that the blade pointed at him. He glanced over at Kairi, then back up to Donald and Goofy. "Take care of her," he told them.

The blade sank in easily. He never heard the others calling his name.

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"Riku?" Kairi asked, staring at the Heartless that had followed them.

It took a half step closer to her, then straightened in alarm as more Shadows appeared around them. Donald and Goofy could handle them, but Kairi...

"This time, I'll protect you," she told it. When the Heartless attacked, she shielded its body with her own, buried under a mass of shadows.

Everything turned to light.

"I always knew you were special, Kairi," Riku whispered to her.

Beast's roar snapped his head up. They were surrounded by Heartless. Riku tensed, prepared to defend himself and his friends, but Beast had other ideas. "Go, now!" he ordered.

"And you?" Riku asked.

"I won't leave Belle again," he replied. "Go!"

As Riku led the way out of the castle, Kairi asked, "What about Sora? He's-"

"I know," Riku interrupted. "I saw. He'd want you safe first, we'll come back for him."

"Promise?"

"Promise."


	7. Chapter 7

"Well well well," Xemnas murmured. "What have we here?"

Saix knelt and examined the two children, curled sleeping at the base of a tree. "Nobodies," he confirmed. "They seem to have come into existence, as it were, at the same time."

"An auspicious event for us," Xemnas said. "Take the girl, provide her with some clothes. They are to remain separated. Neither will know of the other, at least for now."

The berserker made no response, but scooped up the blonde and opened a portal out of Twilight Town. Xemnas took the opportunity to better examine the boy, moving shockingly white hair away to see his face. It was as he thought – the boy bore a distinct resemblance to-

Without warning, aqua eyes opened, and Xemnas had to move quickly to avoid being brained by a Keyblade. "Who are you?" the boy demanded, sitting up slightly.

"I should ask you the same," Xemnas drawled.

The boy hesitated. After a long moment, he said, "Riku, but that's not right. There's something wrong about using that name." The key abruptly vanished.

As soon as the younger Nobody said the name, Xemnas's mind began shifting the letters around, looking for a good fit. Several combinations were discarded, until he settled on, "Kruix. You shall be known as Kruix, number XIII of the Organization."

"Kruix," the boy repeated.

Xemnas stretched out his hand. His smile was one of utter satisfaction when Kruix took it and allowed himself to be drawn through a portal and out of the forest.

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They landed once more in Hollow Bastion, without incident thanks to Cid's hidden gummi. A quick word with Beast led them to speak with the princesses. While Goofy and Donald made sounds of surprise at their news, Riku listened without comment. The edges of Kairi's charm bit into his hand, though, when Aurora told him that, as the darkness swallowed Ansem, "He was smiling."

The Behemoth waiting just inside the door to darkness proved a ready target for his ire, if not as satisfying as beating Ansem himself. Before Riku could seal the Keyhole it had been guarding, he heard Yuffie calling for them. "What are you guys doing here?" Riku asked as they stepped out of the door.

"This is where we were born," Aerith said. "We wanted to see it again, so Cid flew us here on his ship."

"It's a lot different than what I remember," Yuffie exclaimed.

"We've been gone for a long time." Leon was looking around, frowning at the machinery. "I can't believe Ansem himself let the darkness in."

"Well, I'm sure Sora and Kairi will insist on visiting and helping you out on fixing this up once we defeat Ansem," Riku told them. "So you can expect to see us pretty often."

"Us too!" Donald added.

Leon's lips twitched in what might have been a smile. "I appreciate the offer, but it won't work."

"What do you mean?" Goofy asked.

"Once Ansem is defeated and the worlds restored, the barriers between them will be as well," Aerith told them. "Everyone will go back to where they belong, but you won't be able to come see us."

"Oh." Riku cocked his head at Leon and grinned. "Is that a hint that I should make nice with you now, since we'll never see each other again anyway?"

That was definitely a snort of laughter from the older man. "If you'd like, though by now I'm not sure I'll believe it," he teased.

"Hmf." Riku nearly responded – _If that's the case, I just won't bother then_ – but Aerith cut him off.

"You should probably seal that Keyhole now, Riku," she told him.

"Right." He turned and marched back through the door. Without the Behemoth Heartless to stop them, it was a simple matter of pointing the Keyblade.

When he reemerged, Leon suggested that he speak once more with the princesses. "They might be able to sense where Ansem's gone," he said.

Leon was right, though Riku would never tell him that to his face. The princesses were able to point them towards the growing darkness, where Ansem was sure to be waiting for them. The trio moved steadily through the fragments of worlds, destroying Heartless and supporting each other where needed. It felt like they would continue this way for ages, that Ansem had vanished without a trace, until the came to an elegant set of white doors. Riku made to push them open.

_Careful_, a voice whispered soundlessly. _Beyond these doors, there is no light to protect you. Are you ready to face the darkness?_

"Riku?" Goofy asked.

"Are you ok?" Donald added.

Riku swallowed, palms flat against the white doors. "Yeah," he said. "Let's finish this." He shoved the doors open and stepped through.

To say that his island was the last thing he expected to see was an understatement, but there it was. Riku stared around suspiciously, certain that Ansem was just waiting for him to drop his guard in familiar surroundings.

"What a pitiful little place," said a deep voice. "To a heart seeking freedom, it was a prison surrounded by water. And so you destroyed it, opening the door to allow the darkness in."

"Shut up!" Riku shouted, Keyblade appearing in his hand. "I might have wanted off this world, but you were the one that brought the Heartless, Ansem!" He headed towards the beach, where he could see a figure against the water.

It was Sora...until he turned around.

Riku glared at the silver-haired man that had stolen his friend's body, used his other friend's heart, all to further his own sick desires. "Give in to the darkness," Ansem said. "It is the source of all, and all eventually returns to darkness...including your friend. Submit to darkness, and you will gain supreme knowledge." He smirked. "Maybe you could learn enough to know how truly futile it is to fight me."

He hesitated for a moment, thinking of Kairi waiting for him to fix things so that all three of them could go home together. He wondered about Sora, now probably lost somewhere in the darkness, alone. He was aware of Donald and Goofy next to him, waiting for him to make the first move.

Riku's first blow landed on Ansem's middle, driving the air out of him and halting whatever he was saying. He was tired of listening to strangers telling him what to do.

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Ansem's precious door was _heavy_. Riku leaned all of his weight against it, shoes scraping on the ground as the door moved fractionally. Hearing Donald and Goofy discover that there were Heartless on the other side, as if the Door to Darkness would contain anything else, was the final straw. He slammed his palm against the door and leaned his head against it. "I can't-"

"Sure you can, Riku. We can do it together!"

"Sora!" Riku's lunge for the other boy was as much halted by Sora's leap back as Goofy quickly grabbing his arm. "Sora, what are you doing?"

"I can't go through, Riku, and neither can you. Who's going to take care of Kairi if you do?" Sora glanced over his shoulder, then set his hand against the door. "We've got to close it, quickly."

They managed to move the door another few inches before the sound of sword strikes and Heartless being cut down made them pause once more. The three on the outside peered in, and Sora grinned over his shoulder. "Your Majesty!" Donald and Goofy exclaimed.

"Now, Riku, let's close this door for good!" Mickey called out, holding up a Keyblade that was the inverted mirror of his own.

Despite the urgings from both sides, he hesitated. "Sora..."

"Don't worry. There will always be a door to the light," the king assured him.

Sora grinned. "Come on, Riku!"

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. The door slide shut, gaining momentum until it started moving on its own. From the other side, the _wrong side_, Sora waved at him. "Take care of her," he said.

"I will," Riku told him, the words drowned out by the shutting of the door. He raised the Keyblade, and a beam of light shot out of it, locking the Door to Darkness. The huge door shimmered, then vanished with no trace of Sora or King Mickey. Riku wasn't entirely sure whether the brunet had heard him or not. Turning from the empty view in front of them, he spotted a very familiar shape just beyond the white ground they stood on. "Kairi," he whispered, running to her.

She was standing on a small patch of sand that was steadily growing larger, as if the islands were going to recreate themselves under her feet. His approach made her raise her head. "Riku?"

He grabbed her arm as the slice of sand under her moved. She was being drawn away from him, just like Sora had. "Kairi, I'll find him, and we'll come home to you. Remember that we will, no matter how long it takes." Her hand was slipping out of his. "Remember that, Kairi!"

"I will," she said, nearly falling as their hands were forced apart. "I promise!"

Riku watched her move farther and farther away, until a curtain of swirling light blocked her from view. It swept over the three searchers, transforming the place they stood into rolling green hills crossed by a dirt path, complete with blue sky and perfect green trees. The place they had battled the supreme Heartless was gone. There was also no sign of anybody else around them. Except for one thing.

"Is that that dog of yours that tried to kill me?" Riku demanded.

"Pluto! Where have you been all this time?" Goofy asked.

Donald peered at him. "What's that in his mouth?"

"The king's seal!" Goofy exclaimed.

Without a word, Riku took of running after him, Donald and Goofy chasing close behind.


End file.
